What Exactly Does a Passport Expediter Do?

The job of a passport expediter is to submit application forms at
regional agencies on behalf of clients. Also known as passport
couriers, these service providers are experienced in getting passports
in a hurry. They know and understand how the expediting process works
and what can cause both delays and denials in passport issuance.

Couriers generally assist with the following issues:

Getting a passport for the first time

Renewing an expired passport

Replacing a lost, stolen or damaged passport

Obtaining a passport for a minor

Correcting printing errors in a passport

Changing a name on a passport

Getting a second valid passport

Services vary from one company to the next, as do rates.
Some assist customers in obtaining entry visas and other travel
documents.

Want to make sure the service of an expediter is something you
actually need? Want to avoid frustration with the passport expediting
process? Then you need to understand what passport couriers can and
cannot do.

What Passport Expediters Do:

Guide you in preparing the correct forms and gathering the proper documents. Knowing which forms and documents to submit can be confusing. Couriers can help. This will reduce the risk of delays or denial.

Hand-deliver your passport application and supporting
documents to a processing center for expedited service. Can't get an
appointment before your departure date? Live far away from the agency?
A courier can help. They visit agencies daily to submit passport
applications and pick up new passports.

Monitor the process closely. The courier will inform you
immediately if any problem arises. Then, they will assist in getting it
resolved. This ensures that passport services processes your
application in the fastest time possible.

Pick up your new passport and deliver it to you. The courier
will mail your passport by express overnight delivery. They also have
locations where you can pick it up. In emergency situations, some
expediters will meet you at a designated location. It might even be an
airport.

It's the ideal solution when a regional processing center is too far out of your way.
The largest companies have offices near passport processing centers in
more than one city. This eliminates the need for you to travel long
distances.

While a courier will hand-deliver your application to an
agency, you may still have to do some legwork. You are required to
apply in person if you are submitting Form DS-11. Visit a nearby
application acceptance facility. Then, mail the sealed packet provided
by the Acceptance Agent to the expediter who will hand deliver it to
the processing center.

Of course, you can still benefit from a courier service even if
you are close to a regional agency. By using a registered expediter,
you can avoid standing in long lines to get in and waiting in more
lines to submit your application. No need for you to lose an entire day
of work.

What Passport Expediters Cannot Do:

Passport couriers cannot process your application form nor issue your passport. This is the responsibility of the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs.

Passport couriers cannot guarantee you will receive your passport quickly. They can get your application submitted quickly but processing it is out of their hands.

It is important to understand that expediting companies are
not the passport issuing agency. They do not have final say about your
eligibility for a passport. They do not decide if the documentation you
provide is acceptable. They do not determine how fast to process your
application.

Yet, expediters have a special relationship with regional agencies. So, they can submit your passport application when you cannot.
They can also provide guidance to you and help avoid costly mistakes.
These mistakes can delay or even result in the cancelation of your
travel plans.

Now you understand what a passport expediter can and cannot do. Are you ready to take advantage of this service?